"Hypnopuncture"-A dental emergency treatment concept for patients with a distinctive gag reflex

Eitner, S., Wichmann, M., & Hoist S. (2005). "Hypnopuncture"-A dental emergency treatment concept for patients with a distinctive gag reflex. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 53 (1), 60-73. The authors present a novel combination of acupuncture and hypnosis in this article which they term "hypnopuncture" and discuss its uses in dental medicine. They describe the application of their treatment to the case of a 76-year-old patient who had a severe gag reflex that interfered with his ability to complete routine dental procedures. The method of hypnopuncture is described as being a safe, effective, and quick procedure which allows the patient to be treated effectively during a root canal procedure despite his previous history of treatment failure due to the gag reflex. The authors assert that acupuncture assists patients with short-term relief from the gag reflex while hypnosis can also add a long-term solution to the problem. Address for reprints: Dr. Stephan Eitner, Department of Prosthodontics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Gluckstrase 11 91054 Erlangen, Germany. Email: seitner@prothetikerlangen.de

Copyright American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Jul 2005
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